


First Born Unicorn

by dragon_temeraire



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, Magic, Sterek Week 2016, Unicorns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-26
Updated: 2016-10-26
Packaged: 2018-08-27 04:11:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8386735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragon_temeraire/pseuds/dragon_temeraire
Summary: Something mysterious has returned to the preserve, but for once it’s not dangerous.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A long time ago, someone said something about Derek Hale and unicorns, and I just couldn’t resist. Written for day three of Sterek Week 2016: Myths and Fairytales.

They pull up to an abandoned trailhead at the edge of the preserve and hop out of the jeep, waiting. Sure enough, it’s not long before the Camaro comes rumbling up, pulling alongside them.

Derek climbs out, frowns at them both. “What’s going on?” he says.

“There’s something new in the woods,” Scott says seriously, striding forward. “Something big, something powerful. I wanted you help us do some recon, figure out what it is.”

Derek pales then, and he hurries ahead of them to block the trail, holding his hand out. “I know exactly what’s come to the forest. And you need to leave them alone, they’re no danger to anyone. Just go back home,” he says firmly.

“I won’t,” Scott says, just as Stiles says, “You know what it is?”

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Derek says, taking another step back. He’s at the edge of the forest now, the shadows of the trees brushing across his face. He plants his feet and crosses his arms, looking like he could stand there forever.

Stiles is about to ask more questions, maybe demand some answers, when he catches a glimpse of something over Derek’s shoulder. At first it’s like a mirage, wavering and unclear, and he’s not sure what he’s seeing. But as it draws closer, Stiles suddenly realizes exactly what it is.

It’s a _unicorn_.

A real, live _unicorn_ , right here in the preserve.

It’s so amazing, Stiles sort of feels like he wants to laugh hysterically, and sort of like he wants to cry.

The unicorn stops behind Derek, brings its’ head over his shoulder to gently nuzzle his cheek. Derek rolls his eyes fondly, reaches up and strokes a hand down the unicorn’s nose.

He steps forward so he’s not blocking the trail any more, and the unicorn comes alongside him, and so does—so does _another unicorn_.

“Oh my god,” Stiles whispers as the second one steps out from the woods. They’re tremendously beautiful, with coats of pearl white, and a mane and tail so fine and shining they almost look silver. And the spiral horn in the center of their forehead is so bright as to be almost luminescent.

“I thought they only came to, uh, virgins,” Scott says dubiously, as the second unicorn slowly approaches him.

“It’s the _pure of heart_ they’re drawn to,” Stiles snaps, enviously watching as Derek pets the unicorn’s neck, a soft expression on his face. After everything that’s happened, he doubts a unicorn would come to _him._

No, he thinks, as he watches Derek comb his fingers through its mane, smiling affectionately. Unicorns are not for someone like him.

Suddenly there’s a gentle touch on his shoulder, and he wheels around, startled. There’s another unicorn right behind him, looking at him interestedly, it’s ears pricked forward.

“Oh,” Stiles breathes out, shocked. He slowly extends his hand forward, palm up. The unicorn dips its head, gently nuzzling his palm, and Stiles gasps, curling his fingers a little at the softness. The unicorn makes a quiet nickering sound, then drops its head lower, until the edge of its horn brushes Stiles’ wrist.

He suddenly feels… _better_ , like the darkness around his heart has receded.

He doesn’t feel like he’s drowning any more.

The unicorn steps closer, and Stiles gratefully leans against its shoulder, taking deep breaths and feeling _alive_.

“The Hales always had a connection to the unicorns when we lived in the preserve,” Derek is saying. “We would run together on the full moons, and we would look out for each other, protect each other. Which was important, because werewolves weren’t the only creatures the hunters were after.”

“Why did they want the unicorns?” Scott asks, reaching out to pat the one next to him.

Derek’s mouth pulls down, and he softly touches his unicorn’s cheek. “If driven through the heart, the horn of the unicorn can kill anything, without fail. You can see why this would be so useful to the hunters.”

“Oh my god,” Scott says, sounding horrified.

Stiles tucks his face against his unicorn’s neck, breathes in its sweet clover scent. He can’t imagine ever being willing to kill a creature as beautiful as this.

“They tried to protect us that night, but they couldn’t save us all,” Derek says quietly. “They managed to drag Laura and I away, tried to heal our grief. They fled the forest that night, just like we did. I didn’t think they’d ever come back.”

“Then why are they back now?” Stiles asks.

“There was a tradition between us,” Derek says. “If there was a new member in their herd, they would come and present them to us, so that we would know each other. We did the same if we had a new member join our pack.”

Scott looks around. “I don’t see a baby.”

Derek smirks a little. “She’s not here. They would keep her safe, deep in the woods. I’ll go meet her tomorrow, at dusk.”

The unicorn gently nudges him then, and Stiles takes a couple of tentative steps toward Derek. “Can I come with you?”

Derek glances at the unicorn behind Stiles, a little smile tugging at his lips. “Sure. Meet me at the loft tomorrow afternoon.”

“Awesome,” Stiles says with a grin. Then turns to Scott, and rolls his eyes when he sees him kissing the unicorn’s nose. “Let’s go, buddy,” he says, laughing.

 

*

 

Derek parks them at the edge of the preserve, and they make the trek through the forest on foot.

“You know there’s, like, trails and stuff. We could have driven,” Stiles complains, just to keep up appearances. Really, he’s just trying to contain his excitement.

“We have plenty of time,” Derek says, smirking. “It won’t do any harm to walk.”

He’s obviously not going to be baited, so Stiles lets it go.

Instead, he distracts himself by glancing around the forest as they walk. It looks…different, somehow. It seems more lush and green than before, with bright colored flowers popping up everywhere the sunlight gets through. Dead leaves still carpet the ground, but everything else looks vibrant and alive, and it’s strangely beautiful.

He keeps seeing flickers out of the corner of his eye, though. Just little hints of movement, just a phantom flash of _something._

“It’s the unicorns,” Derek says, after he’s taken his fourth startled glance. “They’re escorting us, making sure we’re safe. I’m surprised you can see them at all.”

“Oh,” Stiles says, feeling better. “I can’t, really. Just an impression that something’s there.”

Derek nods. “They know you now, so they’ll watch over you any time you come into the woods,” he says.

“Like a shadow,” Stiles mutters. “But will they actually come to me?”

Derek looks at him oddly, brow furrowed. “Of course, if you want them to.” He reaches out, gently pulls Stiles to a halt. “Hold out your hand.”

Stiles does, and before he can even blink, there’s a soft muzzle pressed against his palm. The unicorn softly nickers to him, ears flicking forward, then in a flash it’s gone again.

“Wow,” Stiles breathes.

“Come on,” Derek says, with a little smile, lightly touching his shoulder. “Let’s get going.”

It’s not much farther to the clearing, and they halt at the edge of it, between two huge old trees. Evening is coming on, and fireflies are beginning to flit between the flowers and branches. Everything is quiet and perfectly still, and it feels almost expectant.

Movement on the other side of the clearing catches his attention, and when he looks over, a procession of unicorns is coming their way, heads held high. Their horns are faintly glowing, and the fireflies swirl around them in sweeping arcs.

They come to a halt in front of their guests, then step aside, revealing the unicorn foal at their center. She’s tiny and perfect and pure, and Stiles gasps, his heart feeling like it’s suddenly filled to the brim with light. He automatically reaches out and grasps Derek’s hand, wanting something to hold onto.

Derek squeezes back tightly, obviously feeling something, too.

The little unicorn comes trotting over, ears forward and eyes wide and curious. Derek uses their joined hands to slowly pull them both down onto their knees, where they’re nearly the same height as her.

She goes to Stiles first, and as she gets closer, he can that her horn is like a tiny dewdrop on her forehead, bright and shining. She tilts her head up to look at him, gives a little whinny.

Stiles swears he can almost hear a question in it, and he leans forward curiously. When he does, the little unicorn takes another half step forward, and gently touches her nose to Stiles’. She breathes out a soft little sigh, the scent of sweet grass washing over him, and Stiles instinctively breathes out, too.

The unicorn pulls away with a small, happy sound, and moves to Derek.

He doesn’t hesitate to dip his head down to the little foal, letting their noses touch. They stay like that for a moment, breathing each other in, learning each other by scent.

The little unicorn eventually pulls away, gives them one last whinny, then trots back to the herd. All the other unicorns gently nuzzle her, whickering softly. A few of the others break from the heard, start heading toward them.

“They want to meet us, too,” Derek says softly as they stand back up.

“Okay,” Stiles says, squeezing Derek’s hand again.

The unicorns toss their heads, their manes gleaming against their bright coats, and Stiles feels breathless with wonder. As they get closer, he can see how kind their eyes are, and he touches noses with each of them in turn. Derek does the same, and when Stiles looks over, he seems to be filled with quiet joy.

Then the unicorns all gather in their procession again, dipping their heads toward them before leaving the way they came.

Stiles watches until they disappear.

Then he looks around in surprise, because he didn’t even realize night had fallen. He looks up at the stars shining through the trees, and tries not to read too much into the fact that _Derek is still holding his hand._

“Come on,” Derek says softly, turning back the way they came. But he doesn’t let go.

Stiles can’t help noticing how strangely romantic the night feels, everything softly lit and filled with the scent of flowers. The fireflies swirl around them like stars, leading the way through the woods.

Stiles finds himself walking slower and slower, not wanting this to end, because everything feels so full of potential he’s almost buzzing with it.

It makes him feel brave.

“Derek,” he says, pulling them to a halt.

He starts to say more, but it seems like Derek already knows. He turns to Stiles, a smile pulling at his lips, his expression open and soft.

“Yes,” he says quietly, like he’s answering a question Stiles hasn’t even asked yet.

It’s a good answer, though. He uses their joined hands to tug Stiles forward, and suddenly Derek is kissing him, soft and sweet, and Stiles lets his eyes flutter shut. He tilts his head, deepening the kiss, sliding his lips against Derek’s as the light of the fireflies seems to grow brighter and brighter behind his eyelids.

He gently breaks the kiss and blinks his eyes open, surprised, but everything is just as it was. “Wow,” he breathes. Then, equally quiet, “Did the unicorns put a spell on us?”

“No,” Derek says, laughing. “Being around them just lessens your fear, makes it easier to understand what you’re feeling.”

“So you…really wanted to kiss me?” Stiles asks, staring intently at Derek.

“I _really_ wanted to kiss you,” Derek says with feeling, still smiling.

“Oh,” Stiles says, eyes wide. “Then you should definitely do it again.”

So Derek does.

And they lived happily ever after.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come by and prompt me/talk to me [ on tumblr](http://dragon-temeraire.tumblr.com/).


End file.
